Are neuromorphic chips helping us replicate the brain?

There is no computer that works as efficiently as the human brain. The scientists' goals are to build an artificial brain that will work just like the human brain.

University of Zurich, Neuroinformatics researchers have made a breakthrough on this goal. They are now understanding how to configure neuromorphic chips that can replicate the brain’s information processing capabilities in real-time. Researchers validate this by creating a synthetic sensory processing system that demonstrates cognitive abilities.

Most methods to neuroinformatics are restricted to the progress of neural network replicas on computers that aim to incite complex nerve networks or supercomputers. Only a select few researchers will follow the Zurich researchers’ method to develop electronic circuits that are similar to the brain in terms of size, speed, and energy consumption.

A professor at the Institute of Neuroinformatics, Giacomo Indiveri said, "Our goal is to emulate the properties of biological neurons and synapses directly on microchips."

The core challenge for researchers is how to construct networks made of completely artificial, i.e neuromorphic, neurons in a way that will execute the specified tasks. Lately, researchers have been effectively developing a neuromorphic structure that can perform complex sensorimotor tasks in real time. This network can also perform tasks that require short-term memory along with decision making traits that are essential for cognitive tests. With this being said researchers can combine neuromorphic neurons into the network that implemented neural processing modules parallel to the “finite-state machines.”

Researchers demonstrate for the first time how a real-time hardware neural-processing coordination where the user can dictate the behavior can be fabricated. Indiveri explains that thanks to their findings, neuromorphic chips can be designed for a large class of behavior modes. Their findings are pivotal for the progression of the new brain- stimulated technologies.